


Whenever You're Ready (I'll Be Here)

by 911xtarlos



Series: SamBucky Ficlets [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Screw You Marvel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 13:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21411106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/911xtarlos/pseuds/911xtarlos
Summary: Sam and Bucky heal together after the events of Endgame.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson
Series: SamBucky Ficlets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543498
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64





	Whenever You're Ready (I'll Be Here)

“Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.”

“How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you.”

The same words they had spoken before Bucky shipped out. Before Steve showed up, bigger and stronger to save Bucky’s life. These were the words they spoke to each other now. Bucky knew that Steve wasn’t coming home. At least, not the way he was now. Steve had told him his plan. Bucky’s heart had shattered. But he knew he couldn’t stop him. Steve wasn’t his to keep.

“I’m gonna miss you buddy,” Bucky mumbled as Steve released him from his hold.

“It’s gonna be okay Buck.”

Bucky edged closer to Sam as Steve stepped onto the platform.

“How long is this gonna take?” Sam questioned Bruce.

“For him, as long as he needs. For us, five seconds.”

Steve picked up Thor’s hammer and the case with the stones.

“You ready cap? We’ll meet you back here okay?”

“You bet.”

Steve’s mask closed over his face and Bucky clenched his eyes, trying to commit this last glance of the Steve he knew to memory.

“Going quantum in three, two, one.”

In a flash of light, Steve was gone.

“And returning in five, four, three, two, one.”

Nothing. Steve didn’t reappear on the platform.

“Where is he?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here.”

Bucky turned to the lake as Sam and Bruce began to argue.

“Get him back.”

“I’m trying.”

“Get him the hell back.”

“I’m sorry. I’m trying.”

“Sam.”

Sam stepped closer to him, gazing in the same direction as Bucky. There, on the bench was Steve. 

“Go ahead,” Bucky told him as they walked closer.

Bucky had already said his goodbyes. He had nothing left to say to the man who abandoned him. He felt a small smile slide on to his face. At least Sam was about to be happy.

Bucky kept his hands in his pockets as he watched their interaction. Bucky grinned as he watched Steve hand Sam the shield. Sam glanced over his shoulder for approval. Bucky gave him a nod.

The shield suited Sam.

Sam walked over to Bucky, shield still on his arm.

“It suits you.”

“It feels like someone else’s. I don’t feel like Captain America.”

“Steve wouldn’t have given it to you if he didn’t believe in you.”

“Are you okay Bucky? Do you wanna talk?”

“No Sam. I really don’t.”

“I respect that. But whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

Bucky nodded again and walked away toward Tony’s cabin. Pepper had told him and Sam they could stay as long as they wanted, but Bucky wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.

*****

“Hey Sam?”

“What’s up man?”

“Can I take you up on that offer to talk now?”

“Yeah sure.”

Bucky sat silent for a while.

“Uh are you gonna talk.”

“Shut up Sam.”

“Seriously man what’s going on? You’ve been weirder than normal since Steve left.”

“Because he left,” Bucky mumbled.

“What was that mumbles?”

“It’s because he left. We’ve spent over a hundred years fighting for each other and the first chance he gets he leaves. I loved him and he left.”

“I loved him too Bucky. And I miss him. But he’s happy.”

“You didn’t love him the way I did.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Bucky, Steve didn’t abandon you. You know that right?”

“It feels like it.”

“I know it does. But Steve loved you. He cared about you. But he has a point, he spent the better part of his life fighting. He fought so hard for you and here you are. You’re alive, safe and mostly stable.”

Bucky had to chuckle at that last part.

“Maybe he had a point. He deserved to live a life of his own.”

“Steve does deserve that. I’m just overreacting I guess.”

“No you’re not. I know why you feel that way. You love Steve and now he’s gone. You feel like it was something personal against you, because when he left, he went to another girl.”

“Yeah, or something like that.”

“You’re gonna be okay Buck.”

“Thanks Sam.”

“No problem buddy.”

*****

“Ugh that sucked,” Bucky said, trying to clean the space alien goo out of his hair.

“Maybe if you didn’t have so much hair it wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Says the man who has it up his nose.”

“Touche.”

“Seriously though, should I cut my hair? I’ve been thinking about it, might make my life easier.”

“It’s up to you man.”

Sam made it a point to leave all decisions up to Bucky. Some days something as small as asking Bucky what color mug he wanted his coffee in helped.

“Will you do it for me?”

“It might look like shit, but sure man. If that’s what you want.”

So Sam got the clippers and scissors and gave Bucky a new haircut, a modern equivalent to his 1940′s hair.

“You like it?”

Bucky ran a hand over the shaved side thoughtfully.

“Yeah, I like it.”

“Good.”

*****

“Jesus you scared the shit out of me.”

Bucky threw his arms around Sam’s neck with no shame.

“I’m fine. Just a little banged up.”

Sam slipped his good arm around Bucky’s waist.

“You were fine and then you were falling and I couldn’t get to you-”

“Bucky, calm down. I’m good. I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Okay. Let’s go home. I need a shower.”

_ Home  _ was a two bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. They’d both decided that they didn’t want to stay at Tony’s cabin forever, and living together made sense since they were now working together. Bucky also wasn’t comfortable living on his own yet.

“You wanna keep going on the list?” Sam asked, once they’d debriefed, patched themselves up and showered.

Sam had made Bucky a list of all the movies he needed to watch. Currently they were on Star Wars.

“Sure. I just hope this one is better than the last one.”

“Yeah Phantom Menace sucks. Attack of the Clones is much better.”

“Turn it on then.”

Bucky curled up on the couch as Sam turned on the dvd.

When Sam sat down, he shifted closer and Sam slung an arm over the back of the couch, just barely touching Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky had a habit of curling up to Sam when they watched movies and Sam never stopped him. Sam assumed that it had something to do with being touch starved at the hands of Hydra for so long. Sam didn’t dare take away something Bucky found comforting. And Sam didn’t hate the feeling of Bucky curled up to him either.

Unconsciously, Sam pulled Bucky closer to him until his head was on his shoulder.

“Sam?”

“What?”

“I’m bored.”

“Do you want to watch something else?”

“No.”

“What do you want to do then?”

“If it’s okay, I want to kiss you.”

“Okay.”

Bucky leaned up and pressed his lips to Sam’s, slow and unsure. His lips were chapped and he tasted like mint toothpaste.

When Bucky pulled away, he leaned his head against Sam’s chest.

“Sam. I want this, but I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“We can take it as slow as you want. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed. Make sure to leave comments and kudos if that's something you like to do.
> 
> I'm also on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sxmbxckyrxights)


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